Both sides are running around furiously trying to lower expectations - so that after the Wednesday debate they can claim they exceeded expectations and claim victory. So weird how this works, now.

Obama says "Mitt is a better debater" and a senior advisor to Mitt says Obama is "widely regarded as one of the most talented political communicators in modern history." A week ago he was a wimp and a prevaricator, suddenly he strides across the universe with the confidence of the man who killed Bin Laden. Oh, wait, they don't bring that up.

Well, both sides have been rehearsing furiously, but comes this bit of news: Mitt has a pocketful of "zingers" which he has been memorizing since August.

Mr. Romney’s team has concluded that debates are about creating moments and has equipped him with a series of zingers that he has memorized and has been practicing on aides since August. His strategy includes luring the president into appearing smug or evasive about his responsibility for the economy.”http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/01/14168980-romne...

For the life of me I can't understand why Romney's people would let this slip. If the zingers don't zing, he will look like an idiot. If they do, they will look oh-so-prepared and not really zing at all.

OK, for the life of me twice I don't know why anyone would watch such a silly exercise anyway. Obama has been President for 4 years. If you don't know him by now, another hour isn't going to matter. Romney has been running for President for 7 years. Is there anything left to learn? Are there really more than 12 uncommitted voters across the entire country?

Well, zing away Mitt. And Obama: try not to look smug, whatever that means, because people could make the most important political decision of the decade based on whether you are smiling the wrong way or not.

Obama says "Mitt is a better debater" and a senior advisor to Mitt says Obama is "widely regarded as one of the most talented political communicators in modern history." A week ago he was a wimp and a prevaricator, suddenly he strides across the universe with the confidence of the man who killed Bin Laden. Oh, wait, they don't bring that up.___________________________________

How is Obama's style as a talented political communicator supposed to negate the fact he is a wimp and a liar?

He is a very skilled liar who comes across as sincere. Wimps can be great liars as well

Reagan likely won based on his debate performance (he was trailing in the polls prior to the debate) - and then there was only a single debate. You could say that people already knew Carter too, but they changed their mind after the debate.

Gore likely lost based on his debate performance.

The debates could make a huge difference, even if for all the wrong reasons.

And on Monday, Brown helpfully provided an example of how not to zing: After Warren gave a long, three-part answer, plus “icing” for a total of four, about how Brown has been less bipartisan than advertised in voting against jobs bills, he let loose with this: “Excuse me, I’m not a student in your classroom. Please let me respond.”

Osama is dead, so is Ambassador Stevens. Why did you deny his request for more security?

Of course that's not a zinger he could have been working on for months.

As for people knowing Romney for the past 7 years...nobody was paying attention. Nobody pays attention to the primary contestants. Do you think anyone remembers Chris Dodd from the 2008 Primaries. They only remember Hillary and Obama. Frankly I doubt anyone remembers anything Biden did during the primaries until he got the VP nod.

Osama is dead, so is Ambassador Stevens. Why did you deny his request for more security?_______________________________

Nope, I will stick with

Osama is Dead, Al Queda aliveThanks Obama

Has anyone done more for Al Queda? Heck folks on their team are now in power in how many places?

Sure he kills them with drone strikes. He also lets them take part in multiple countries with the direct results of his action

How about the old Democratic refrain? Can we be total jerks too? You know the Dem meme -- he is just creating more terrorists -- of course the fact that in the ME the terrorists enjoy chanting we are all Osama and taunting Obama directly does give a little credence to that.

Nope

Osama is dead, Al Queda is alive. Thanks Obama

is the game. Stevens' death? Result of AQ being resuscitated by Obama. Sure they were not dead, but nothing like putting bamboo shoots under their toenails while giving them transfusions of oxygenated blood

Obama's policies in the ME have been insane. They have given AQ more power in a wider region than ever before

His strategy includes luring the president into appearing smug or evasive about his responsibility for the economy.

Willard, at a recent stump speech, had a huge graphic behind him that said 'JOBS'. I hope the conversation turns toward that topic. 162,000 of them created in September.

I remember early in Bush's tenure as President the denizens at RECF posted monthly job numbers. Of course, that fell by the wayside as those numbers plummeted and went negative. I wonder why they haven't crowed about the 180 degree change in those numbers since the current administration has been in charge?